The Drinking Lesson

The Drinking Lesson:  "That which intoxicates dualistic mind is the anti-death potion indeed."  The Guyasamaja Tantra

prerequisites: Surmang Kagyu Order Members Only,Dathun ,Three Month Residency, Completion of ngondro, Vajrayogini abhisheka

As a young Tulku in Tibet, Trungpa Rinpoche was given a drink of chang, Tibetan barley beer, during practice sessions of a special Chakrasamvara Lama dance that was famous at the Surmang monastery.  He instantly had realization.

This retreat will be an exploration of the view and method of the "Left-Handed Tantra"  All those juicy, tantric things-- passion, intoxication and dharmakaya --will be explored from the perspective of the view, practice and conduct of Dzogpachenpo.

Trungpa Rinpoche's transplantation of the Surmang Kagyu Dharma in the West is based on that experience.  Without the fuel of alcoholic intoxication the destruction of spiritual materialism is not possible.

"When the three men of Kham were living at Boulders Like Horses and Yaks, Saltong Shogom said, "We of the lineage of Naropa must practice the tenth day celebration.  Wouldn't it be best to do a Vajravarahi ganacakra?" 

Khampa Dorgyal said, " Here, we are bound by the drinking rule.  If the head disciplinary monk finds out, we will be punished."  But Shogom did not listen. 

They deliberated on what to do on this tenth day festival of the first month of the summer season.  Each recieved permission from the precious guru to make a chang offering from three skull cups of barley, and so they brewed chang with these nine skull cups of barley. 

Dorgyal herded logs for the fire from behind Gampo hill with his slingshot.  U-se brought water in a net bag.  Shogom sent forth wind from his fingertips and kingled the fire.  They also found  the other things necessary for the ganacakra. 

That evening they performed the sadhana of Vajravarahi and their spirits were exhilarated.  They made many offerings of song and dance.  Moreover they performed the great Kagyu folk dance with this famous secret song of supplication: 

"On this occasion let us vajra brothers supplicate.  Let us genuinely supplicate and blessings will enter. 

You who dwell on top of my head on a sun-moon seat, kind root guru, I supplicate you. 

In theAkanistha dharma palace, Dharmakkaya, Great Vajradhara, I supplicate you. 

In the east, in the precious monastery of Sahor, Tilo Prajnabhadra, I supplicate you. 

In the north, in Puspahari monastery, learned mahapandita Naro, I supplicate you. 

In the south, in the monastery in the valley of Trowo,  Translator Marpa Lotsawa, I supplicate you. 

In the east, in the glorious Taklha Gampo,  Dharmaraja, the Physician of Takpo, I supplicate you. 

In the west, in the palace of Uddiyana, consort Vajravarahi, I supplicate you. 

In the Cool Grove charnel ground, Dharmapalas, Mahakala and Mahakali, I supplicate you. 

May obstacles of inner and outer adversities not arise.  Please grant me the supreme and ordinary siddhis.

Thus they made supplication and danced a great deal.  The disciplinary monks of the tagye heard them and came.  "You three have gone against the general laws of the sangha.  Singing songs and dancing, all these violate our traditions and go against the dharma law.  Therefore you cannot stay here;  you must leave right now," they said and beat them with sticks.

Dorgyal sang, "The ground is the field of equanimity..."telling him how to drink chang, but he would not listen.  He said, " Leave tonight, or else in the morning as soon as you can see the road, be off."

cost $295.00 includes room and board